Zappit's Kidney Thread Part 3: New Kidney, Who Piss?

Dave

Staff member
Mom’s going home today, and I might be going home tomorrow. At the very least, they’ll be taking the urine catheter out. I was able to bend enough last night to get a good look, and GOD DAMN, that thing is a nightmare.
So is the thing that’s in it.
 
I want to like for the going home, but not for the apparent "nightmare" that is your penis

Hmmm, "Nightmare penis" where have I heard that before? Oh right, high school
 

Zappit

Staff member
Just about three weeks later and I’m doing really well. I’m up and moving about with much less discomfort - I’m off painkillers entirely. They are still tweaking my meds to get things balanced better, but overall it’s great.

The stent in the kidney that’s helping urine travel from the kidney to the bladder comes out on Monday. I think I’ve covered that before, so let’s not revisit the way they perform that procedure.

My coworkers donated sick days to me - enough to carry me through my entire recovery. I work with wonderful people.

Honest to God, I am really not used to things going well.
 
Awesome!
That means we'll soon get new Huzzah updates right?
... What? Why is everyone looking at me like that? I didn't mean... Ahhh help :aaah:
 
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Zappit

Staff member
Awesome!
That means we'll soon get new Huzzah updates right?
... What? Why is everyone looking at me like that? I didn't mean... Ahhh help :aaah:
Honestly? I don’t really know. I’ve tried to get back to drawing it a couple times, but it just doesn’t feel quite right. I started that comic when I was in a very dark, very bad place. I don’t think I want to go back to that. I might just drop it and do something new.
 
Honestly? I don’t really know. I’ve tried to get back to drawing it a couple times, but it just doesn’t feel quite right. I started that comic when I was in a very dark, very bad place. I don’t think I want to go back to that. I might just drop it and do something new.
You do whatever feels right, we're just happy to have you still!
 
I was (hopefully obviously) being tongue in cheek. I'm much happier that you'll be okay than I would be with any amount of comics.
If Huzzah doesn't fall right to you now/anymore, I'm sure whatever might be next will be worth our time as well :)
 
I was (hopefully obviously) being tongue in cheek. I'm much happier that you'll be okay than I would be with any amount of comics.
If Huzzah doesn't fall right to you now/anymore, I'm sure whatever might be next will be worth our time as well :)
I sure hope I was obvious too or that's a real bad look for me
 

Zappit

Staff member
Had the stent removed today. Remember when I mentioned they’d numb me up before shoving anything up my piss-hole? Well, apparently, THAT WAS A NOPE. No numbing agents given. Just injections of lubricants and saline and in goes the camera and the extraction wire. Took about half a minute, but it felt like an hour. Hurt like hell. I’m pissing some blood and probably will for a few days. Any disruption to the stent can cause some bleeding, and taking it out is a very big disruption.

On the other hand, I’m still pissing, so it looks like the path between kidney and bladder didn’t close up. That’s good.
 

Zappit

Staff member
It was just going too well.

my last blood test showed certain antibodies that can attack the kidney. Doesn’t mean they are, but they’re present. My creatinine has been steady, which is a good sign. Even ticked down just a little.

They’re going to biopsy the new kidney this week to check, and put me on a new immunosuppressant to hit those antibodies. I’m also likely going to get infusions to further knock things down.

Even if this is an early sign of rejection, it looks like it can be reversed, and that the majority of similar cases do in fact get reversed. But the numbers are still good, so I don’t know.
 

Zappit

Staff member
Well, the antibodies are in the kidney, but haven’t done any damage yet. But they gotta go.

I’ll be getting a port in my neck tomorrow, and start phyresis/infusions to neutralize the antibodies and (hopefully) prevent more from generating.

I’ll have this thing in my neck for two weeks, during which time I will not be able to shower. Fuck. They do have a very high success rate with this, though, so there’s that.
 
When my wife broke her leg in January 2020, she spent four days in the hospital and several weeks where she couldn't shower (she couldn't physically get in). The hospital had this no-rince cleaning stuff (we stole a bottle and then got one at a medical supplies store here). She swears it felt like she'd just showered. Won't help for your hair, but at least it'd do something for the rest of ya. Here's a pic of the bottle (the brand is Tena):

20211115_175711.jpg
 
They make dry shampoos, if that is acceptable for the port. Honestly didn't care much for the one I tried, though it might work better on short hair.
 

Zappit

Staff member
Plasmapheresis is pretty incredible. I didn’t feel anything, but it cycled 67% of my blood today. They removed the plasma and gave me fresh stuff. I couldn’t take any of my meds until after because the process would have taken that out of me, too.

That means I took roughly 20 pills on an empty stomach right before an infusion that could cause nausea.

Well, you might venture a guess as to how that went. Lesson learned - eat first next time!
 

Zappit

Staff member
Have I got an update today!

Guess who barfed - again - during his infusion? This guy!

Here’s the best part: it was entirely preventable. I had a Zofram pre-med prescribed whichreally does the trick. My nurse CHOSE NOT TO GIVE IT TO ME DESPITE DOCTOR’S ORDERS.

Well, that caused a shitstorm, and I think she’s in a hell of a lot of trouble. I did talk to my transplant center and told them straight-up I do not want to work with her again. I was hoarse for two days because my reaction was so violent. I am not doing that four more times, minimum. My body can’t take it. Plus, I’ve got to get a one-time chemo infusion on one of these sessions. That’s going to make me even sicker.

FYI - Totally fine now. Just don’t want to be sick when I don’t need to be.
 
Biopsy this past Tuesday.
Chest catheter out yesterday.
Both hurt quite a bit.
But.
BUT.
GUESS WHO GRADUATED OUT OF HIS TRANSPLANT CENTER TODAY, SIGNALING THE END OF A SUCCESSFUL TRANSPLANT PROCESS
Oh, what, so now you're filtering your own blood you think you're special?
 
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